THE GREAT REBELLION, 

A DISCOURSE BY 

WM. M. DAILY, D. D., L L. D. 

0©liv&re<J tni tfo© Gottrt HJq«§© lira (VCadlggaci^ ©oj Sunday,, 



(PUBLISHED BY THE PEOPLE.) 



Madison, Ind., Sept. 8, 1852. 
W. M. Daily, D. D.: 

Respected Sir: — The undersigned, believing the circula- 
tion of the discourse delivered by you yesterday, at the Court House, on 
the subject of the present "Great Rebellion," would enhance the interest 
of our common country, would, after mature deliberation, most respecL- 
fully request a copy therof for publication. 

Very Respectfully, 

R. H. LITSON, JOHN ROBERTS, 

JAMES 0. T1I0M, W. R. HALL, 

I. F. HIGBEE, M. D. LOTT, 

JAAjES BACHMAN, JOHN RITCHIE, 

J. C. CR08SLY, WM. C. H1LL1S, 

"WM. HOWARD, J AS DONNELLY. 



Madison, Ind., Sept. 11, 18G2. 
CArT. R. H. Litson and others: 

Gentlemen:— Yours of the 8th inst. is this moment re- 
ceived, requesting a copy of my discourse on the "Great, Rebellion," de- 
livered in the Court House on last Sabbath, for publication. And in re- 
ply have utily to say thatso soon as I have a few hours of leisure the dis- 
course shall be placed at your disposal, hoping iL may subserve the inter- 
ests of the great cause of this war for the Union. 

Most Respectfully Yours, &e., 

WM. M. DAILV . 



£ 



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Dr. Daily on the Great Rebellion. 

" These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb sliall over- 
come them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of Icings; and they 
that are with him are called, and chosen and faithful.'" 

Rev. XVII Chap, 14 verse. 

My text states a remarkable case of an unprovoked rebellion 
against a rightful Sovereignty — "the Lamb." It then gives the 
sesult. The Sovereignty "overcomes," or subdues the rebellion, 
for which result two reasons are assigned ; first the remarkable 
character of the Sovereignty, and second, the loyalty and effi- 
ciency of the soldiery. Let us briefly expand this outline: 

I. The Sovereignty is "the Lamb." How significant is this 
title. It is an appellation of our Lord Jes us Christ. He is 
called a Lamb because of his sacrificial character as the Great 
Redeemer of mankind — the great anti-type of the sacrificial 
lamb used under the old dispensation. Still further, a lamb is 
an emblem of innocence and usefulness, and these characteristics 
in Christ entitle Him to the appellation of "the Lamb" — as he 
is the great embodiment of innocence and nsefidncss. Even Pilate 
announced to a captious world, u I find no fault in this man" 
and an Evangelist pronounces his eulogy when he says: He 
went about doing good." 

II. The Rebellion — "these shall make war with the Lamb." 
From the remarkable character of the Sovereignty — the 

Lamb — there can be no apology for the rebellion. It is wholly 
unprovoked, and springs from the basest passions, engendered 
in hell, led on by devils and the Southern Confederacy. In a 
word, all opposition to Christ and his Kingdom, is war against 
the Lamb. But we cannot enlarge. 

III. The residt is stated, and reasons assigned. The Lamb shall 
overcome them, for he is Lord of lords and King of Icings. 

The Lamb overcomes or subjugates the rebels. Though he is a 
Lamb in his sacrificial character, in his innocence and bis use- 
fulness, yet he is "the Lion of the tribe of Judah" — a Lion in 
fight. 

The reasons assigned for his success against rebellion, are 
cogent. 

1. Mu matchless Sovereignty. He is King of kings— a Sover- 
eign over eoven ign*, a Lord over lords, a Supreme Sovereignty — 
-complete, unpararclled. 






2. The character of His Soldiery. "They that are with him 
are called, and chosen, and faithful." They are a citizen sol- 
diery; loyal, active, brave, efficient; and hence the victory is 
complete. This matchless Sovereignty is called "faithful and 
true, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war." "He 
hath on his vesture, and on his thigh a name written King of 
kings and Lord of lords," and thus caparisoned "he rides forth 
to battle, while the armies which are in Heaven follow him upon 
white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean." And an 
Angel in the sun announces the complete triumph of the Lamh 
and his army, and his conquering soldiery return and come to 
Zion with songs and everlasting joys upon their heads, and the 
subjugated world kneels before Judah's conquering Lion. 

This disposes of the theology of the text, and we now proceed 
to the main object of the discourse: 

I. 2 he Sovereignty. The Federal Government of these United 
States is a complete Sovereignty. " We, the People" made the 
Constitution for the express purpose of making a "perfect Union." 
The Articles of Confederation did not make the Union perfect, 
and left the sovereignty of the Federal Government incomplete. 
But the Constitution makes the Sovereignty complete — supreme 
— and the Union under it perfect. And hence we have this ex- 
pressive language in the Constitution: "This Constitution and 
the laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance 
thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall be made under 
the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the 
land, and the judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any 
thing in the Constitution or laws of any State to the contrary 
notwithstanding," This claims for the Federal Government su- 
preme sovereignty over the whole country, and makes the State 
Sovereignties subordinate. And hence a State, as such, by re- 
bellion against the Constitution or Laws of the Federal Govern- 
ment, becomes guilty of Treason, as much so as an individual. — 
And now, in such case the Constitution binds the Federal Gov- 
ernment, by Coercion — by the power of her arms — to punish by 
suitable penalties, and bring back such rebellious State to her al- 
legiance to the General Government. In other words, the power 
is vested in the Federal Government to maintain its authority, 
and to insure its perpetuity. Coercion, then, in case of rebellion, 
is a necessity, laid upon the supreme sovereignty by"the Consti- 
tution as it is" to secure to herself and her people "the Union 
as it was." To be opposed, then, "to the whole coercive policy of 
the Government" is to be opposed to "the Constitution as it is," 
and to oppose the Government, for fulfilling its sworn obliga- 
tions to itself and to the people. The Federal Sovereignty must 
maintain and enforce its authority over every foot of its soil, 
from the Northern Lakes to the Southern Gulf— from the At- 
lantic coast to the Pacific Shore. 

But the character of the Sovereignty is shadowed forth in the 
text. The Lamb made, and bought the world of mankind with 



his own sacrificial blood, and thus established his kingdom. So 
this Government of the people established itself a Christian 

Sovereignty, for the benefit of mankind. This was done by 
great sacrifice and toil — by the arms, the wisdom and piety of 
1 1 ur fathers. Its character is Christian. This Government was 
born in the arms of a christian mother, baptized at a christian 
font, and rocked in the cradle of christian institutions, until it 
has grown to a christian manhood. The first vocal strains ever 
heard upon the shores of this Continent were the Te Deiim sang 
by our Pilgrim Fathers, and chanted by the cavaliers of Vir- 
ginia and Maryland. And hence the Government is innocent uf 
any infringement of any of the unalienable rights of the people, 
or of the States, but most sacredly protects all in "life, liberty 
and the pursuit of happiness." 

Again, it is a Government of benefits to the people. Its be- 
neficent character is without a parallel. We hazzard nothing in 
saying that the United States Government confers more ben 
upon its citizens than any other Government on the lace of the 
Globe; and withal is the great leader in Civilization, in ( 
nieree, in Benevolence and in Christianity. 

I have no eulogy to pronounce upon the grandeur and the 
glory of the "Stars and Stripes," only as they are emblamatic of 
car Federal Sovereignty, its beneficent and God-like character, 
the noblest and the best, the mildest and yet the most powerful 
Government over which the sun in Heaven ever rolled his golden 
chariot. Any man who is the enemy of this Government is the 
foe of God and man — he is the enemy of civilization, and of 
the evangelization and the regeneration of the world. This is 
no new theory with me, but is the long cherished estimate in 
which I have held my Government. I never have had any sym- 
pathy for recklessness of the integrity and perpetuity of the Un- 
ion. I never have been willing to "let the Union slide," or to 
see one stripe erased or a single star obscured. God has wed- 
ded this Government to the best fortunes of humanity throughout 
all time and in all lands. The elevation and full developement 
of humanity is its great mission. Civilization looks to it as its 
gnat leader, and Christianity as its great Missionary, while 
down trodden humanity every where looks to it for its elevation. 
It is the foster mother of the Arts and Sciencs, of intelligence 
and improvement, of school-houses and churches, of education 
and religion — it spreads out its arms like seas embracing human- 
ity to lift it from thraldom, and bring it into an alliance with 
its God. "If I forget thee, 0! my Country, let my right hand 
forget its cunning, and my tongue cleave to the roof of my 
mouth. " To abuse this Government is to abuse the Lamb, and 
whoever abuses, decrys, or inveighs against it, be it Jeff Davis, 
or Wendell Phillips, Loyd Garrison, or John C. Breckenrid 
is a vile rebels and the unmitigated foe of God and man, and all 
such deserve the execrations of the civilized world. 

This brings us to notice, 



II. The Rebellion. 

Our positions in relation to the Sovereignty, and its benefi- 
cent character, precludes the possibility of any justifiable cause 
for this great rebellion on the part of the so called Confederate 
States. The great ends of Government are announced by the 
Sovereignty, to secure to all their "inalienable rights," u life, lib- 
erty, and the pursuit of happiness." It is not alledged that any 
of these have been infringed. But so horribly wicked and base 
is the rebellion, that war is waged to interfere with, if not to en- 
tirely destroy, these very rights declared to bejnalienahle. The 
end aimed at is the destruction of the Government, by trampling 
upon all the rights of humanity, in search of what they call 
their rights. 0, what madness ! The world looks on in wonder 
at the blind infatuation that drives them headlong to ruin, as 
though they were willing to perish in the wreck of this glorious 
Government. 

This Great Rebellion originates in opposition to the most be- 
neficent of Governments and to the best interests of humanity. 
And yet some are wont to justify it by comparing it with the 
Revolution of 1776. How ridiculous! Our fathers rebelled 
against the tyrrany and oppreesion of the old world, and inaug- 
urated a Revolution founded upon christian principle, and the 
philosophy of free government. They pledged to each other 
"their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor," to establish 
a Government that would secure to them and their posterity the 
full enjoyment of all their inalienable rights, and to establish 
forever a Government of civil and religious liberty on the broad- 
est scale. Whereas, these Rebels enter no complaint against our 
form of government, the wisest and the best on tho face of the 
globe. None of their "inalienable rights" have been interfered 
with, but sacredly protected under the Constitution and the 
Laws. With this view we cannot hesitate to pronounce our 
Revolutionary Fathers, Patriot Heroes, while these rebels of 
the Confederate States, are Thieves and Robbers, and the foes of 
God and man, richly deserving at the hands of the civilized 
world, the fate of malefactors. 

Yet there are some, and some who are the professed ministers 
of the Lord Jesus, who tell us there must be no coercion on the 
part of the Government. They say that the God of Heaven 
does not coerce rebellious man, but rather comes to him with 
pleadings and entreaties to be reconciled. If we were disposed to 
admit this, that God does not coerce rebel man, we might retort 
by saying that he did coerce Devils. They were coerced, subjugat- 
ed, imprisoned in Hell, under chains of darkness unto the 
judgement of the great day ; and all this for rebelling against 
the Government of Heaven. But sooner or later, Man himself 
is to be coerced, after all other maens of reconciliation have fail- 
ed. It is written in the Book, "as I live saith the Lord God, 
every knee shall how, and every tongue shall confess," &c. And 
so the Government now says to these Rebels in arms, "as I live 



6 

says the Federal Government, every rebel knee shall bow, and 
every rebellious tongue shall confess my authority, by submis- 
sion to my Constitution and Laws, or else be banished into outer 
darkness, where there shall be weeping, wailing and gnashing of 
teeth." So much for the coercive policy of the Government. 
The Constitution and Laws must be enforced every where. 

This Rebellion has been inaugurated on the largest possible 
scale — such as the world never saw before. It is truly formida- 
ble ; and it is all folly, it is weakness to underrate it, as some are 
doing. It will require the best Statesmanship, the best General- 
ship, and the bravest soldiery, to save the Government and re- 
store the Union. Those counsellors have proved safest, who 
have taken the clearest and most enlarged view of its wondrous 
dimensions, and its fearful bitterness. One illustrious patriot 
Statesman, now no more, seemed to grasp it at its first outbreak. 
The whole Nation now admits the wisdom of the statement of 
Judge Douglas, just before his death, who said in relation to the 
first call for troops, that "instead of seventy-five thousand, it should 
be a million, that the more stupendous and overwhelming the 
preparation, the shorter the war." Here was wisdom in counsel 
from one of the greatest Statesman America ever ' produced. — 

The Nation mourns his loss in this crisis, and none more so 
than the present Chief Magistrate of the nation, Abraham Lin- 
coln. He felt that he needed the wisdom of his patriot counsel, 
and the power of his giant mind, to help bear the Government 
through this fearful struggle. 

But the encouraging feature of the subject remains. 

III. The predicted triumph of the Government. "The Lamh 
shall overcome them, for he is King of kings, and Lord of lords." 

Here the general fact is announced. The Government shall 
overcome the Rebellion. This is an encouragement to the heart 
of the true patriot. But this prediction is based upon two of 
the most cogent reasons: 

1. The unparalled character of the Sovereignty. "He is Kino- 
of kings, and Lord of lords." This Government in its Federal 
capacity, is a Supreme Sovereignty over Sovereignties. It is to all 
intents and purposes Sovereign over the State Sovereignties. — 
Its Laws ami its Constitution are the Supreme Law of the land- 
all others arc subordinate. And, then, she is acknowledged by 
Civilization as the great ruling Sovereignty of the Nations. — 
The prestige of her flag is without a parallel, on all seas and in 
rill lands — bet resources are boundless — her recuperative power 
has never been fully measurod — her genius and her skill in the 
Arts and the Sciences, Benevolence and improvement in every 
thing th.it pertains to the wealth and power of a Nation, and the 
elevation of humanity, all, all combine to make her a peerless 
matchleu Sovereignty, Bhe is emphatically "King of kings and 
Lord of lords" as a National Sovereignty, and for this reason 
she shall overcome the Rebellion. 



2. The character of her Soldiery. They that are with the Gov- 
ernment are called, and chosen, and faithful. 

The Government has called them to her rescue in this great 
crisis. She has chosen them, as her citizen soldiery, for her de- 
fence, and finds them to be faithful to the Constitution and the 
Laws. In a word, they are loyal and brave, and with patriot- 
ic devotion worthy of their illustrious Sires, "Dare to Do or 
Die." 

Every citizen owes something to his Government, for its de- 
fence and its perpetuity, and unless he yields this willingly, he 
is unworthy of a Government. And in this great emergency, 
the United States Government expects every man to do his duty. 
No man is at liberty to fold his arms and idly look on at this 
struggle, and say "I had nothing to do in bringing on this war, 
and I will have nothing to do in closing the war." O, shame on 
such affected Neutrality. Citizens of this great Government, 
there can be no Neutrals in this war. Here is a great philosoph- 
ical, as well as religious truth, from the Great Teacher. "He 
that is not for us is against us, and he that gathereth not with 
us, scattereth abroad." And by this rule every man will be tried. 
Every man must be a friend, open, avowed, active and efficient, 
called, chosen and faithful ; or else he is an enemy, and must be 
so held by the Government and all its loyal citizens. And a se- 
cret foe is worse than an open enemy. For God's sake do take up 
arms on one side or the other. Be for us, or, against us. The 
great and immortal Judge Douglas, never uttered a greater truth 
than the one to be found in his last great speech, when he says: 
"In this great struggle there can be but two parties — Friends and 
Enemies — for the Government, or against it." And, let me add, 
the friends must be out-spoken and active, and not quiet neutral 
drones. We have enough of this latter class over the river, who 
have all the while been giving "aid and comfort to the enemy," 
under the guise of "Kentucky Neutrality." I have said to some 
of these that Indiana has fought over Kentucky once, scatter- 
ing the rebel hordes, and bathing it in some of her best blood, 
but she will not fight over it the second time, without baptizing it 
in Neutral blood, from the Ohio, to the Southern border. No 
Neutral disloyalty is to be left behind the conquering Union 
forces, the second time. This may seem to be unscriptural and 
anti-christian, but I tell you nay. What says the Great God in 
the Good Book in regard to Neutrality? Hear him: "Curse ye 
Meroz, curse ye Meroz, curse ye her bitterly." What for, 0, 
thou God of wisdom and justice, what has "Meroz" done to de- 
serve this bitter curse? God answered, "Because she came not up 
to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the 
mighty." She was to be thus bitterly cursed for her Neutrality, 
in the case of a great war. This case is precisely parallel with 
that of our Neutrals in this war against rebellion ; and we have 
the sanction of the bible for the most bitter denunciation and 
curses upon all such. 



There is another case in point: In the wars of Israel, God 
had doomed Jericho to absolute ruin — that is, by his own fiat he 
bad passed a general Confiscation Bill." and demanded of his ar- 
my its strictest execution. But Achan, a "Rebel sipvpa fhizer ," 
refused to carry it out, and by stealth preserved a "golden 
wedge," and a "goodly Babylonian garment." This unfaith- 
fulness, on his part, brought defeat upon the armies of Israel. — 
But Joshua, the great leader of the host, searched out the trai- 
tor, had him duly executed, and the "wedge of gold," and the 
"goodly Babylonian garment,'' Confiscated — and when the Trait- 
or was stoned, and the property of the Bebels confiscated, as 
God had ordered it, then victory perched upon the standard of 
Israel. So we should, in a legitimate way — not by the mob, but 
according to law, we should hunt up every "golden wedge." ev- 
ery "goodly Babylonian garment" — every thing that is contra- 
band — have all confiscated, and every traitorous Achan put out 
of the way, according to the Scriptural rule, and then our Flag 
will wave triumphantly over the conquering legions of the Un- 
ion forces, and Rebellion will be buried in "the last ditch" It 
is all folly to talk about ''the rights' of Rebels. A man in rebel- 
lion against this Government, lias no rights of property, or any 
tbing else, and deserves the fate of Achan- — he deserves to die. 

Our strength in this great struggle is in our undivided, har- 
monious front. They that are with the Government, should be 
unmistakably for the Government, called, chosen and faithful, and 
such a force will be invulnerable, and insure a victorious tri- 
umph over all the rebel hordes. All who are not of this tpye 
must be held and treated as enemies. "For us or against us," is 
our motto. And whenever this Federal Sovereignty wheels into 
line on these principles, then, woe betide the Rebellion! It shall 
be "overcome" subjugated, subdued, crushed out and if need be ex- 
terminated from the earth. 

Tbe day of triumph will most assuredly come. Our conquer- 
ing busts although "with garments rolled in blood," shall return 
to their homes, not singing, 

"Away down South in Pixie," 
But rather, 

"Away up North from Dixie.'' 

And they shall come with victorious banners flying, with load 

I y shouts of victory from vale and from mountain, echoing 

over all the land from the Southern Gulf to the Northern hakes, 
from the white-crested wave of the Atlantic, to the peaceful 
shores of the Pacific — from the Dome of our Capitol in Wash- 
ington, as a center, all over and around through the vast circum- 
ference of the land, proclaiming to this redeemed Nation, that 
once more we have "the Constitution as it is, and the Union as 
it was." 

Then will come the day of jubilee throughout all Civilization 
throughout all Christendom, on Earth and in Heaven. 






